Car-switch manipulator



NiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. WELOH, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

- CAR-SWITCH MANIPULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 250,024, dated November 22, 1881.

Application filed July 12, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY H. WELCH, of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Oar-Switch Manipulator, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description.

This device is especially adapted to streetcar switches; and its object is to enable the driver of the car, by means of suitable attachments to the front of the car, to operate the I switch.

Figure 1 is a plan of the device with parts removed and broken away to exhibit other parts. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the device on line as m, Fig. 1. Fig.3 is a side elevation of the switch tongue or point.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, A represents a cast-iron block or bed-plate firmly secured on a transverse timber, B, in the center of the track, and level with the bottom of the track-rails O O.

D is an iron pin fixed in the timber B and projecting up through a central socket, to, in the block A, and on this pin D is set the pinion E, provided with teeth b, extending partly around its periphery. On the top of this pinion E, at opposite sides thereof, are two lugs, c, in which are secured the arms F, that extend radially beyond the periphery of the said pinion E, over the parallel grooves 01, that are formed in the block A on either side of the socket a. At one end these -grooves d are made flaring, so that when a car approaches in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 1, the carswitch-operating attachment may not fail of an entrance to said grooves 01.

On top of the block A, and outside of the grooves 01, are the segmental blocks A, that may be an integral part of said block A or be secured thereon. Said blocks A are cut away or recessed from their inner faces, as shown at f, to permit free movement of the arms F, and secured on top of these blocks A, by pins 9, that project down through blocksA A into the timber B, and covering the pinion E, arms F, and inner end of rack H, is a cover, A to protect said parts. Said blocks A A and cover A are together gradually rounded up to the center, as shown, both for strength and to present but little obstacle to passing vehicles. A rack, H, gearing with the pinion E, extends laterally beyond the block A across a track-rail, O, and connects with the switchtongue G, which is designed to be pivoted on a suitable support, and to swing from the track-rail O to the stop-block O. This switch G is arched or rounded up at h from one-fourth to one-half inch at the pointof connection with the rack H, so that the flange of a car-wheel passing over the rails O G will clear the rack H, and the jolting of the car be thus avoided. The switch Gr thus arched may be entirely above ground, without the car-wheel flange touching the rack H.

It is designed that one or more hooks like that indicated in dotted lines at I, Fig.2, shall be attached to the front of a car and operated by the foot of the driver to engage against one or the other of the arms F, as the case may be, and thus move the switch G, as may be desired.

A suitable covering will be put over the extension of the rack H, between the block A and rail 0, to protect it from passing vehicles. The narrow portion of the grooves d are not wide enough for .a narrow buggy-wheel to enter; hence the arms F are sufliciently protected from the traffic on the street.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- I. An improved car switch manipulator, constructed substantially as herein shown and described, consisting of the grooved and covered block A, pin and pinion D E, the latter provided with radial arms F, rack H, and switch-tongue G, arranged and operated as set forth.

2. In a car-switch manipulator, the combination, with the supporting-block A, provided with socket a and grooves 11, of the segmental recessed blocks A and cover A substantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a car-switch manipulator, the combination, with the block A, provided with pin D, of the pinion E, provided with radial arm F, rack H, and switch Gr,substantially as herein shown and described.

' HENRY H. WELOH.

Witnesses:

WM. H. THOMPSON, H. T. ROBINSON. 

